<[email protected]>
Date: Mon, Sep 15, 2025, 4:45 AM To: me
Tony G. (Squarespace) Sep 15, 2025, 7:45 AM EDT
Thank you for providing this information. We want to fix this issue as soon as possible, however, this situation requires specialized technical support. I’m going to escalate this ticket for review. A Product Specialist will reply to this ticket directly with more information as soon as possible. Please note that due to the complex nature, escalated issues may require more time to resolve.
We understand that this may be taking longer to complete than expected and appreciate your continued patience.
If you have questions related to this issue, please respond to this email directly. If you have a question unrelated to this issue, contact us again here: https://support.squarespace.com/hc/p/contact
Thanks for your patience while we work on this for you.
Tony G. http://support.squarespace.com
<[email protected]>
Date: Mon, Sep 15, 2025, 8:40 AM To: me
Margot T. (Squarespace) Sep 15, 2025, 11:40 AM EDT
Hi Matt,
Thank you for reaching out and for your patience while we reviewed your case. My name is Margot and I'm a Product Specialist here at Squarespace.
We have received this escalation related to accessing the domain [steamcommunity.example].
To continue helping in the most secure way possible, I’ll need to verify your identity as the owner of the domain. To do that, I’ll need two pieces of information. Could you reply with a picture, scan, or .pdf of:
A bank statement or credit card statement that includes your most recent payment for a Squarespace subscription. The statement must include:
A header showing the banking institution that issued it
If you purchased the Squarespace subscription with PayPal, the PayPal statement should include:
The full charge description
A government-issued ID displaying your name, such as a driver’s license, passport, or permanent resident card.
You’re free to redact or blur any extra information from the statement or ID as long as we can see the details listed above. We’ll fully redact the files from our system after evaluating them. We only use these images for identification purposes, and won’t share or distribute them outside of our secure system.
We will keep an eye out for your reply.
All the best, Margot T. https://support.squarespace.com
I've cut the back-and-forth containing government ID and bank statements. Note this took over a week...
<[email protected]>
Date: Tue, Sep 23, 2025, 8:14 AM To: me
Margot T. (Squarespace) Sep 23, 2025, 11:10 AM EDT
Hi Matt,
We have determined that you are currently in violation of Section 3 of our Acceptable Use Policy (https://www.squarespace.com/acceptable-use-policy/) regarding activity that's false, fraudulent, inaccurate or deceiving. Pursuant to this finding, we have suspended your domain [steamcommunity.example].
Please note that we reserve the right to suspend your Account at any time and for any reason, and to enforce our Acceptable Use Policy in our sole discretion.
Thank you for your understanding.
All the best, Margot T. https://support.squarespace.com
Date: Tue, Sep 23, 2025, 8:22 AM To: Squarespace
Hi Margot,
Without knowing the purpose of the website, how could Squarespace determine that this behavior is deceptive or that the intention or outcome is to impersonate others? My intention is to build a website that is clearly marked as unaffiliated with Steam, and this website would provide more rich information about a Steam user's profile. This is neither deceptive nor a form of impersonation.
Reusing the "steamcommunity" name with different TLDs is common practice these days for linking to features on other websites. "[steamcommunity.example]" is not setting a new precedent. For example, take a website "steamcommunity.com/profiles/12345" which would show the Steam profile for user "12345". The company Leetify uses the URL "steamcommunity.gg/profiles/12345" to show expanding information about user "12345". The company CSStats uses the URL "steamcommunity.rip/profiles/12345" to also show expanding information about user "12345". There are numerous other examples.
What are the steps required to petition this determination by Squarespace?
Thanks, Matt
<[email protected]>
Date: Wed, Sep 24, 2025, 7:15 AM To: me
Margot T. (Squarespace) Sep 24, 2025, 10:15 AM EDT
Hi Matt,
This case has already been escalated to the highest tier of support. We have determined that you are currently in violation of Section 3 of our Acceptable Use Policy (https://www.squarespace.com/acceptable-use-policy/) regarding activity that's false, fraudulent, inaccurate or deceiving. The domain [steamcommunity.example] has been suspended.
All the best,
Margot T. https://support.squarespace.com
Date: Wed, Sep 24, 2025, 7:34 AM To: Squarespace
Hi Margot,
Please provide me with some additional information. How do I avoid a determination like this in the future? I dispute the assertion that anything I'm doing is deceptive. There is no impersonation. How can I trust that Squarespace won't terminate my any other services in the future without more information on this determination?
<[email protected]>
Date: Thu, Sep 25, 2025, 7:25 AM To: me
Margot T. (Squarespace) Sep 25, 2025, 10:25 AM EDT
Hi Matt,
I recommend reviewing the terms here:
https://www.squarespace.com/acceptable-use-policy/
We reserve the right to suspend your Account at any time and for any reason, and to enforce our Acceptable Use Policy in our sole discretion.
All the best, Margot T. https://support.squarespace.com
Date: Thu, Sep 25, 2025, 7:37 AM To: Squarespace
Hi Margot,
This is tremendously unhelpful. I can see your terms. I understand that you reserve the right to enforce them using your sole discretion. I'm asking you for further information so that i can avoid being in violation of your terms again, because I don't understand how this is in violation.
This entire chain of responses is super disheartening. Repeatedly threatening to suspend my account because I purchased a domain that Squarespace allowed me to purchase is honestly crazy. If simply owning a domain is in violation of Squarespace terms, why would Squarespace sell me the domain in the first place? (Note, DNS was not even configured and you have no idea what the domain would be used for.)
I intend to write about this experience publicly. If you have any other info you'd like to give to clarify Squarespace's opinion, I'd love to hear it. This is a bad look.
Matt
<[email protected]>
Date: Fri, Sep 26, 2025, 7:11 AM To: me
Margot T. (Squarespace) Sep 26, 2025, 10:11 AM EDT
Hi Matt,
I understand this isn't the answer you were hoping for. We don't provide specific advice on how to avoid violating our Acceptable Use Policy, and it is not our intention to threaten suspending your account. The account is currently active.
All the best, Margot T. https://support.squarespace.com
Date: Fri, Sep 26, 2025, 7:22 AM To: Squarespace
Hi Margot,
A final question for you then. I know I was refunded for the domain shortly after purchase. The domain remains unavailable and under Squarespace control. Is Squarespace able to relinquish the domain so it's available at another registrar, or is the domain locked up for a year?
Matt
<[email protected]>
Date: Fri, Sep 26, 2025, 1:48 PM To: me
Margot T. (Squarespace) Sep 26, 2025, 4:48 PM EDT
Hi Matt,
The domain will still adhere to the ICANN timeline for registration and release, it will not be released immediately.
All the best, Margot T. https://support.squarespace.com